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In addition to the books of record, there are stored in cupboards in a room in the city hall a large num- ber of papers and documents, tied up in bundles and partly classified, dating back as far as 1678. These pa- pers contain information of great value, which would be gladly welcomed by our citizens could they be privileged to examine their contents. Included in these papers are depositions, indentures, documents relating to the Revolutionary war, tax-lists, a mass of records relating to the colonial monetary system, and many other varieties of records too numerous to par- ticularize.
The effort to preserve ancient records already ex- isting in their proper depositories should not be the sole aim of a commission of this kind. There are to-day stored and packed away in attics, old chests, trunks and boxes, papers and documents as valuable as the old records themselves, which shed light on the history and development of this town and city.
19
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
These are not particularly valued by those in whose hands they are, but if it were known that there was competent authority to exercise a watchful care over such matters, the present owners and custodians would often gladly transfer them to such an authority that they might forever be secure against destruction. Indeed, the influence of this commission has already been felt in this respect, and there have been placed in their hands a number of original documents and papers bearing date from 1642 to 1774, consisting of wills, deeds, agreements and other writings which have been handed down through six generations to the present donor, Miss Ann Elizabeth Arnold, of Paw- tuxet. Such gifts as these add additional links to the chain of evidence which surround our early history, and appreciation should insure their careful preserva- tion and perpetuation.
In consideration of the value of the papers, books and documents herein referred to, and after giving the subject attentive investigation, the commissioners would make the following recommendations: That the work already inaugurated be continued until the early records of Providence are placed beyond the possibility of destruction. A small appropriation from time to time will accomplish this object, and the cost to the city will hardly be apparent. The amount required for the whole work cannot be satisfactorily estimated, but by pursuing the course herein recom- mended the city council will be informed of the cost and nature of the work from time to time as it pro- gresses, and can continue or discontinue the same in its discretion.
.
·
20
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
The commissioners herewith present a statement of the expenditures made from the appropriation placed at their disposal by the aforegoing resolution of the city council :
Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for transcribing First Book, $36 00
Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for transcribing
Second Book or book with Brass Clasps, 78 00
Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for transcribing
First Book or Town Meeting Records, 90 00 Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for transcribing
First Book of Town Council Records, 56 00
Amount paid Snow & Farnham for printing 500 copies First book, including electro- type plates, 383 64 ·
Amount paid Snow & Farnham for printing application blanks, . ·
3 50
Amount paid Akerman Co. for binding 500 copies First Book, ·
76 75
Amount paid J. C. Thompson for cuts for First Book, 6 84 · Amount paid sundry persons for stationery, index cards, etc., 16 18
Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for preparing index for First Book, .
139 00
Amount paid H. D. Sheldon for listing old papers and type writing, . 69 00 Amount paid G. H. Richter & Co. for use of type writer, 16 00
Total expenditures,
. $970 91
21
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
RECAPITULATION.
Amount of appropriation by City Council, March 6, 1891, $1,000 00
Amount of expenditures as above stated, 970 91
·
Balance on hand,
29 09
The Commissioners would respectfully recommend the passage of the accompanying resolution.
Respectfully submitted,
HORATIO ROGERS, G. M. CARPENTER, EDWARD FIELD,
Record Commissioners.
March 7, 1892.
No. 138. Resolution Appropriating a Further Sum of $1,500 for the Collecting and Printing of the Early Records.
[Approved April 2, 1892.]
RESOLVED, That the First Volume of the Early Records of the Town of Providence already printed and such volumes as may be hereafter printed be distributed in accordance with the recommendation of the Record Commissioners ; and that the sum of fifteen hundred dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated for the purpose of continuing the col- lecting and printing of said records, said sum to be charged to the appropriation for printing.
22
CITY DOCUMENT.
.
[No. 18.
APPENDIX A.
-
Book VII. Collections R. I. Hist. Society. Page 103. Early Attempts at Rhode Island History.
THE ORIGINAL RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF PROVIDENCE-
Where as the Towne of providence did upon ye : 12th : of August : 1678 : at a Towne meeting upon Ajornement, or- der and Appoynt mr. Roger Williams, and Daniell Abbott, Clerke, to receive of John Whipple junr the former Towne Clerke, the Townes Bookes, and recordes belonging to the Towne now in ye handes of the sayd John Whipple, and to take a List of what they Receive, and to give ye sayd John Whipple a cleare and full Disscharge for the same, the which wee have Done, Vizt
Impri The Towne old Booke : Containeing of : 70 : leaves, and one not wrott upon,
[Item]. The longe Booke with parchment Covers Cheifely Consisting of recordes of Deedes, and of landes, Containeing of : 69 : leaves, and 7 peces of leaves all wrott upon, besides two leaues pinned to an other,
The Booke with Brass Clapses, Containeing of : 164 pages wrott upon besides fower leaves wrott upon which are not paged, as also : 18 : leaues wrott upon at that end of ye Book where the Al- phabett is,
Papers of Generall Assemblys Acts to ye num- ber of : 24: Each of them haveng the seale of ye Collony affixed, the seales being all of them in Good Condition nott defaced, saueing one which is an Assemblys Acts beareing date may ye : 4 : 166 -.
23
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
The new Booke, for ye entry of Towne Acts and orders, with eight pages wrott upon besides part of the ninth wrott upon,
The new Booke for ye entry of land euidences, with nine pages wrott upon, and part of ye tenth page wrott upon,
The new Book for ye entry of ye Towne Coun- sells Acts, there being part of one page of ye sayd Booke wrott upon.
A small paper Book Containeing the Enrolement of wills
66 Courts Acts sewed to geather, in ye manner of : 2 : Books, As also seuerall Courts Acts made up in roules to the number of : 18 : with noe seales Afixed,
Seuerall Coppies of William ffeildes and William Carpenters papers
A Deed of Gift from Richard Waterman to his Grand Chilldren the Chilldren of Resolved Waterman [Deceased]
66 The old Deed called the Town Euidence
The Deed of Confirmation from Cussuckqunsh, and nenekelah with Richard Smith junr Testi- mony pinned thereto,
The deed of Confirmation Scattupp, and Quequa- gonuett.
The deed of Confirmation from Caujanaquant, being alsoe subscribed Aiaquaomitt. the three . Deedes of Confirmations being all indorsed with Testimonys on the back sides
The Deed in parchment from mr. Roger Williams to the Towne of providence
The inuentory of the Estate of John Clawson, Ass alsoe an account in a paper by Thomas olney senr of ye Disspossition of John Clawsons : Goodes,
The Indenture of Daniell Comstock .
24
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
The Bond of Joshua Winsor and James Ashton, as also the Award of Arbetration upon a deffer- ance betweene ye sayd Winsor, and James Ash- ton,
As alsoe seuerall papers wherein was the Com- ittys Act, to ye number of : 15 : Delivered by mr. Williams to John Whipple the former Clerke
66 As alsoe a roule of papers, being most of them bills, some of them being Answered and some of them reffered
As also seuerall other papers. All the rest of the Towne Recordes not here perticularized with a linning Bagg in which they are In Closed
We whose names are here under subscribed, being impowered by an order of this Towne as before sayd, have this Twenty third day of August : 1678 Received of John Whipple Junr the former Towne Clerke, all the sayd Books, papers, parchments, and writeings herein before mentioned and perticularized, which be- long to ye Towne, And Doe thereof in the Townes behalfe fully, clearely, and absolutely, Acquitt and Disscharge the sayd John Whipple Junr of and from all papers that Conscerne this Towne,
In wittness whereof wee doe here unto sett our handes the day and yeare aboue sayd :
[Signed]
ROGER WILLIAMS DANIELL ABBOTT Clerke-
Memorandom, the wordes Twenty Third were enterlined before these presents were Delivered as wittness our handes
[Signed]
ROGER WILLIAMS
DANIELL ABBOTT Clerke.
25
-
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
APPENDIX B.
An Accot continued of the Books of Records & Papers. on file found in ye Office of Richard Waterman Esq" Late Town Clerk of the Town of Providence Deceas.d and Dª to Nichº Tillinghast the present Town Clerk of said Town by Dan1 Abbott Esq" Elisha Brown Merch.' and George Taylor Esq." a Committee appointd at a Town Meeting of Sd. Town Specially Called by Warrant : and held on Saturday the 26th April 1755. vizt
Town Old Book many of the Leaues schorcht and I partly burnt
2 The Long Book parchment Couer with many leaues torn and partly lost
3 The Book with brass Clasps. sundry Leaues torn out and others Defaced
The Books of Deeds & Land Euidences Nº I begun. 1677- Do No 2 begun 1705. Do No 3 with a Loose platt therein begun 1717
Do 4 begun 1719 Do 5 begun 1720 Do No 6 .- 1723
Do 7 begun 1725/6 Do 8 begun 1728/9 Do 9 1731
Do 10 begun 1735/6 Do small No 10 Do No 11 1741. Do No 12 1746
a book with a blue paper Couer something shattered begun 1692
The Town Book of Acts and orders with a parchment Couer
Two Paper Schedules relating to Town Affairs somewhat shattered
Two Books & a shattered Schedule of Town Council af- fairs with sundry Loose papers in one of them
A Small Sticht Schedule of Town Meeting Affairs begun 1717/8
Book for Registring Marriages, Births &c
4
26
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
Town Meeting Book with a Cloth Couer begun June 7. 1725 with some Loose papers in it pinnª
The Town Council book No 2 begun 1716. Do No 3 be- gun 1726
Do No 4. 1741 with a bundle of Coppys of Letters Ad- ministration
Do No 5 with Thos Waterman's Will and Inuentory [Loose]
Do begun Augst 1743. with sundry Loose papers therein
A small blue Couerd paper Schedule of Town Council Af- fairs
A Colony Law Book
A Draught of House Lotts at Pawtuxet made 1752
A Copy of the platt of Wesconaug Land
a plan & papers relating to the back Street, in Proui- dence
A plan and papers of Pawtuxet Highway
A Deed of the Land where the Goal, and Courthouse Stands
Do of the Highway and Training Field
A Plan of Highway a Cross Watermans Marsh
A Plan of Highway from Power's Lane Southward
Schedules of the Acts of Assembly in Number . . 135 Ten Bundles of Mortgages Deeds of the seueral Banks
Eleuen Small Bundles Do of the Eighth Bank
Six Bundles Do of the Ninth Bank
One Book of Mortgage Deeds of the third Bank
seueral Loose Deeds of the Ninth Bank
Thomas Patey's Deed. and Sundry papers belonging to the same
Return of a Landing place at Ruttenburgh with Jnvento- ry's and other papers in a bundle
Return of a Highway. Potters & Bakers
West Riuer, Thurbers Highway plan thereof. by Burrows Bridge so Called
Platt of a Thatch Bed and papers relating thereto Jos Brown & Co plan of the Road to Pawtuxet
27
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
an Old Rate Bill
fiue Baggs of Old papers I Bundle Deeds. and returns of Highways The Jury Box
Coppy of the Receipt giuen to the Committee )x a bundle of Bonds 6 x a bundle of ) x 2 Bundles of Jndentures
APPENDIX C.
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
BOOK 7, PAGE 371. JUNE 6, 1796.
RESOLVED : That Moses Brown, Zephaniah Andrews and Benjamin Reynolds be and they are hereby appointed a Committee for the purpose of examining the Town Records and ascertaining what Record Books it may be necessary. to cause to be transcribed, indexed or otherwise amended and that said Committee make Report of their Proceedings here- in at the next Town Meeting.
APPENDIX D.
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
BOOK 7, PAGE 375. JUNE 23, 1796.
WHEREAS the Committee appointed on the sixth Instant to examine the Town Records have submitted the following Report thereon to Wit -
Agreeable to Appointment We have examined the Antient Records in the Town Clerk's Office and it is our Opinion,
28
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
that it is necessary the three first Books be transcribed in a Book or Books for the purpose and that an Index or Indexes be made to the same, and that several other Books appear to require Indexes to be made and some others to be amended : and it appears to us proper that a Committee be appointed to have the same done in the most legible Manner and to compare and see that the Transcripts be fairly and accurately made.
which is submitted by Providence June 22d 1796 Zeph Andrews Benja Reynolds
Moses Brown
And said Report being duly consider'd it is thereupon Re- solved that the same be received and that Mess"" Jabez Bowen, Moses Brown, Zephaniah Andrews, Benjamin Rey- nolds & the Town Clerk be and they hereby are appointed a Committee for the purpose of procuring such of the Town Records to be transcribed as have become defaced or illegi- ble, that they procure suitable Blank Books for that pur- pose and agree with an Amanuensis on such Terms and Conditions as the Nature of his Service may require.
APPENDIX E.
PROCEEDINGS OF COMMON COUNCIL.
SEPTEMBER II, 1865. BOOK II, PAGE 297.
RESOLVED :- That Messrs. Coggeshall, Paine and Stone with such as the Board of Aldermen may add, be and they are hereby appointed to examine the condition of the early Records of the Town of Providence to the year 1800.
That said Committee be and they are hereby authorized to employ a suitable person to transcribe and print the same, and to take such other measures as may by them be deemed expedient, for a proper preservation of said Records.
29
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
RESOLVED :- that the sum of five hundred dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated for this purpose to be paid from any monies not otherwise appropriated.
[Concurred & Alderman Barker added]
CITY COUNCIL AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
SEPTEMBER II, 1865. JOURNAL IO, PAGE 161.
A Resolution appointing a joint special committee to cause the early Records of the town to be transcribed and printed came from Common Council.
Read and Concurred. Ald. Barker added.
CITY COUNCIL RECORDS.
SEPTEMBER II, 1865. BOOK 5. PAGE 314. No. II.
RESOLVED :- That Messrs Coggeshall, Paine, and Stone, with Alderman Barker be and they are hereby appointed a committee to examine the condition of the early Records of the Town of Providence, to the year 1800: That said Com- mittee be and they are hereby authorized to employ a suita- ble person to transcribe and print the same and to take such other measures as may by them be deemed expedient, for a proper preservation of said Records.
RESOLVED :- That the sum of five hundred dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated for this purpose ; to be paid from any moneys not otherwise appropriated. Passed Sep- tember 11, 1865.
[Returned by the Mayor to the Common Council, October 9, 1865, without approval.]
30
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
APPENDIX F.
CITY COUNCIL RECORDS. BOOK 5. PAGE 326.
No. 10.
RESOLVED : - That Messrs. Coggeshall, Thomas, Sweet and Harris with Alderman Barker be appointed a committee to examine the early records of the Town of Providence, prior to the year 1800, and to report what in their opinion, is the best manner of preserving the same and in case they may deem it expedient to have them printed, to report the proba- ble expense thereof.
Passed November 13, 1865.
Approved the same day.
THOS. A. DOYLE, Mayor.
APPENDIX G.
IN CITY COUNCIL.
No. 219. Message of the Mayor relative to the First Book of Records of the Town of Providence.
[Presented May 19, 1881.] CITY OF PROVIDENCE, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, CITY HALL, May 19, 1881.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL :
A communication from the library committee of the Rhode Island Historical Society, a copy of which is herewith transmitted, calls attention to the condition of a most valua- ble relic of the early days of the town of Providence, the the loss of which would be greatly deplored by all.
31
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
The damaged state of these records, the natural result of age and former usage, is such as to justify the desire of the Historical Society, that more than ordinary pains be taken to restore so far as possible, and preserve them for future generations. I therefore recommend the passage of the ac- companying resolution.
WILLIAM S. HAYWARD, Mayor.
COMMUNICATION.
PROVIDENCE, May 2, 1881.
To HIS HONOR THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE :
SIR : The library committee of the Rhode Island Histori- cal Society having recently learned of the condition of the earliest book of records of the town of Providence, feel it to be their duty to call your attention to its character and condition, and to state what in their judgment is necessary to be done in order to preserve it. This book contains, be- side its records of titles and tranfers of real estate, the origi- nal agreement under which the second comers to the settlement joined the first proprietors and were by them ad- mitted to become inhabitants. It was the establishment of a government, a pure democracy, wherein men bound them- selves to be obedient to the majority of masters of families only in civil things. The entire separation of church from state was made, and perfect religious liberty guaranteed. This document, written by the hand of Roger Williams, the founder of this state, stands at the top of the first page of this book and bears the signatures of thirteen of the second comers.
As to its present condition, it is entirely removed from its binding, it now having no covers whatever. Its leaves are mis- placed, ragged and torn. Its first and most valuable leaf is torn entirely asunder. The name of one of the signers has been torn apart, and is now illegible, and some words have been torn from the edges in sundry places.
32
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
It has seemed to us that unless immediate measures are taken to preserve this unique and precious volume from fur- ther ruin, that it will soon be among the things of the past. Hereon Roger Williams, with his own hand, wrote the doc- trine of religious liberty, a principle which has since become the corner-stone of every civilized government on earth, but which, when he wrote it, was a thing unknown to men. This, we say, deserves preservation at our hands.
Our remedy is, that each of these precious leaves be inlaid in paper of the strongest and most durable texture by a workman cunning in this art, of whom there are several in this country. Every irregular edge and every letter to be carefully preserved as now, and then that the volume be strongly, even elegantly bound. This can all be done with- out removing the volume from the city hall, where it now is, to be kept over night, and at a cost which is small as com- pared to the intrinsic worth of the precious relic.
Thus will be preserved to our remotest posterity this me- mento of the wisdom and foresight of our ancestors.
SIDNEY S. RIDER, Library Committee
HORATIO ROGERS, Rhode Island
THOMAS DURFEE, Historical Society.
No. 220. Resolution relative to the First Book of Records of the Town of Providence.
[Approved June 7, 1881.]
RESOLVED, That the recorder of deeds be hereby author- ized to cause the first volume of the records of the town of Providence to be suitably re-bound and the leaves to be in- laid in new paper, the expense to be paid from money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
33
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
1892.]
APPENDIX H.
No. 352. Message of the Mayor relative to Printing the first four Records of the Town of Providence.
[Presented July 2, 1884.]
CITY OF PROVIDENCE, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, CITY HALL, July 2, 1884.
GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL :
Bv a resolution of the city council, approved June 7, 1881, the recorder of deeds was authorized " to cause the first vol- ume of the records of the town of Providence to be suitably re-bound and the leaves to be inlaid in new paper, the ex- pense to be paid from money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated."
The work proposed in the resolution has never been ac- complished, and very little progress has been made in regards to it. Some other course must be adopted in order to pre- serve the record contained, not only in the first book, but in three other books, two of which are in the office of the re- corder of deeds, and one in the office of the clerk of the municipal court.
The work of preserving, by printing, the early records of Suffolk county, Massachusetts, has been for some time in progress, and I recommend that a similar course be pursued in regard to the first four books of the records of the town of Providence.
I therefore suggest that this matter, the importance of which to future generations can hardly be estimated, be re- ferred to the committee on printing, to inquire into and report thereon.
THOMAS A. DOYLE, Mayor.
5
34
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 18.
No. 353. Resolution Instructing the Joint Committee on Printing to report upon the matter of Printing the first four Books of Records of the Town of Providence.
[Approved July 5, 1884. ]
RESOLVED, That the joint committee on printing be and they are hereby instructed to inquire into the matter of printing the first four books of records of the town of Provi- dence, with the probable cost thereof, and all matters con- nected therewith, and to report thereon to either branch of the city council.
APPENDIX I.
BOSTON,
189
TO THE RECORD COMMISSIONERS :
GENTLEMEN :
I hereby apply for the volumes of your Reports hitherto published, and ask to be put on the list for future issues.
Applicant,
·
Address,
.
BOSTON, .
189
I hereby certify that I believe the above application should be granted.
Member of City Council.
CITY HALL, 189
TO THE CITY MESSENGER :
DEAR SIR :
Please comply with the above request.
Yours very truly,
For the Record Commissioners.
1173228
1893.]
CITY DOCUMENT. [No. 13.
SECOND REPORT
OF THE
RECORD COMMISSIONERS
RELATIVE TO THE
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
[Presented January 30, 1893.]
PROVI
"WHAT CHEER ?"
FOUNDED 133.5. RPORAT E
J. A. & R. A. REID, CITY PRINTERS, Dyer and Pine Streets. 1893.
1893.]
CITY DOCUMENT. [No. 13.
SECOND REPORT
OF THE
RECORD COMMISSIONERS
RELATIVE TO THE
EARLY TOWN RECORDS.
[Presented January 30, 1893.]
PROVIDENCE
"WHAT CHEER ?"
INCORPORATED 832 FOUNDED 1636.
J. A. & R. A. REID, CITY PRINTERS, Dyer and Pine Streets. 1893.
REPORT.
TO THE HONORABLE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE.
GENTLEMEN: The Record Commissioners in their first report to your honorable body presented a brief review of the action taken by the town from time to time towards the preservation of its ancient records, wherein they expressed themselves as follows:
"The earliest effort in this direction was made Aug. 12, 1678, when Daniel Abbott was elected town clerk, to succeed John Whipple, Jr. At this time Roger Williams and Daniel Abbott were appointed a committee 'to take a list of what they received, and to give to ye sayd John Whipple a cleare and full discharge for the same.' This action was taken shortly after the Indian war [1675-76] when the town suffered so severely from its effects, and when the records passed through a severe ordeal."
When the Commissioners made that statement their investigation of original papers had not extended beyond those in the possession of the city; and the official list of books and papers, which is printed in Vol. 7, of the Collections of the Rhode Island Histor- ical Society, at page 103, was taken to be the earliest reference to the collective records of the town, an inference encouraged by the fact that no earlier list
4
CITY DOCUMENT.
[No. 13.
was then known to be in existence. Since then, how- ever, an examination by the Commissioners of the manuscripts in the custody of the Historical Society has resulted in most valuable and interesting revela- tions. In a volume of manuscripts, entitled " Papers Relating to Providence," at page 54, was found the record of a town meeting held April 27, 1676, at which it was " Voted ye Towne Books & Records (saved by Gods merifull Providence (from fire & water) now brought by him from Newport) should be in his hand a while & fower Men) who had bene Towne Clarks:) Tho: Olny jun Shadrach Manton John Whiple junr, & John Smith Miller should view & search ye Papers, what is wanting or lost, & make report to ye Towne ye next quarter day."
Whether the committee appointed under this reso- lution ever reported is not positively known, but it is presumed that it did not, for in the same volume, at page 28, is "A List of Papers delivered to John Whiple jun" chosen Towne Clark by Roger Willjams former Town Clark" dated " Pro: 4 4. 77 so cald " (being an abbreviation of Providence, June 4, 1677, for it will be remembered that at that time March was the first month of the year,) post, Appendix A, and on page 29 of the same volume appears a report made October 27, 1677, by a committee appointed on that same fourth day of June, the heading of which report best indicates the character and purpose of the com- mittee making it. The report begins in this wise: " ffor as much as the Towne of prouidence did at a Towne meting of Election held upon the 4th. day of June 1677 order and Appoynt Capt Arthur ffenner and John Whipple Junr: to vewe all the Books and
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